1
as in misleading
tending or having power to deceive
in his deceptive answer about the vehicle's history, the salesman said that the used car had never been hit by another car
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fraudulent
given to or marked by cheating and deception
a mail-order firm indicted for deceptive business practices
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deceptive
But the first time around, producers relied on deceptive camera angles and some CGI to edit out her pregnancy belly.
—
Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Oct. 2025
Dealers and lenders have long engaged in deceptive and predatory practices that jack up prices for car buyers in order to line their pockets.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Oct. 2025
This looks like an attempt to clean up their devastated public image following the Federal Trade Commission’s strong BOTS Act and deceptive practices case against them.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 20 Oct. 2025
False or deceptive votes and/or acts will render the respective Finalist ineligible.
—CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deceptive
Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Oct. 2025
Dealers and lenders have long engaged in deceptive and predatory practices that jack up prices for car buyers in order to line their pockets.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Oct. 2025
This looks like an attempt to clean up their devastated public image following the Federal Trade Commission’s strong BOTS Act and deceptive practices case against them.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 20 Oct. 2025
False or deceptive votes and/or acts will render the respective Finalist ineligible.
—CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deceptive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deceptive
Adjective
-
There is no indication that the misleading edit was politically motivated.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Even if its 46 shots Sunday were a bit misleading, with many coming from manageable angles, that kind of volume isn’t possible without controlling possession.—
Max Bultman,
New York Times,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Such fraudulent science can slow medical progress and delay vital treatment, The Scientist reported, especially when, as in this case, journals rarely took steps to correct the record.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
7 Nov. 2025
-
The illegality generated more than $1 billion in fraudulent claims to Medicare and Medicaid.—
Kevin G. Hall,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The title-winning standard has been lower in recent years; City won it with 86, 93, 89 and 91 points between 2020-21 and 2023-24 and Liverpool with 84 points last season, but some of those totals give a false impression.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
8 Nov. 2025
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The month prior, she was sentenced to one year and nine months in prison for using marijuana while owning a firearm and making false statements about drug use, per the newspaper.—
Christopher Rudolph,
PEOPLE,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Place your propane tank in a mostly shady location a few feet from your house.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Next comes the fun of trying to reform the civil service with shady Blaine fighting them at every turn.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Matthiessen, not without reason, portrays the Bureau as paranoid, dishonest, and in league with corporate interests.—
Maggie Doherty,
New Yorker,
13 Oct. 2025
-
For that incredibly dishonest assessment that actually did a disservice to the country, Obama is held up to widespread praise by Democrats and others, even winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Recent reports that a number of current and former NBA players were allegedly faking injuries and trading inside information with crooked gamblers has left sports fans and media reeling.—
David Hill,
Rolling Stone,
31 Oct. 2025
-
After a disastrous attempt at bedding Minde’s ex-girlfriend Edita (Vaidilė Juozaitytė), our flat-top sporting hero with a crooked smile meets Monika (Digna Kulionytė), an ambitious, studious beauty from the middle-class area of town.—
Courtney Howard,
Variety,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deceptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deceptive. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.
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